INTRODUCTION:
Several years ago Zen Engineering unveiled a new service that was one of a kind, called our Software Utilization Analysis (SUA). This service has expanded to become more appropriately known as our Resource Utilization Analysis (RUA). This service delves into the efficiency of a company, organization or agency as it relates to the production of the individual, team, department, and corporation relative to its effective use of resources – both people and their tools (software).
In our experience we have noticed that a fairly significant number of engineering firms and agencies utilize software but don’t get the proper focused training or support services that they need. As a result the users aren’t completely aware of the software’s capabilities and how they can use it to be more efficient. Also, as the staff use the software more and more, they might also recognize that the software configuration isn’t customized to suit their needs and therefore spend unnecessary time setting it up in order to use it the way they anticipated.
Beyond this there are intra-departmental and inter-departmental workflows that are either under-developed, unrefined, cumbersome, or in some cases non-existent. This is not meant in any way to diminish or minimize the activity that goes on, or to take away from the successes that are accomplished. It is merely a statement to indicate that in some cases things can be improved . . . and sometimes dramatically.
THE APPROACH:
The analysis methodology can touch on three main areas:
- Software Configuration and Utilization
- MicroStation / AutoCAD / InRoads / Other Software in use
- Document Management
- Standardization & Process Documentation
- Personnel Interviews and Assessment
- Workflow Analysis
In a nutshell, this service will trigger an analysis of your existing work environment, from a functional perspective, and provide you with enhancement recommendations regarding your staff, their knowledge, your system, internal workflows and department interaction.
This service may include briefly interviewing key staff in each of the stakeholders that impact your operations and can include:
- Project Management
- Engineering
- Design Drafting
- Estimating
- Planning
- Mapping
- GIS
- IT / computer support
- Surveying
- Maintenance
- Operations
- Any other relevant departments or groups
RESULTS:
Our results and conclusions can address:
- Software Utilization Recommendations
- Personnel Improvement Areas
- Workflow Optimization Recommendations
We will work toward identifying inefficient tools, processes and procedures related to your design goals and how you can better leverage your existing software systems. To the best of our ability, and within the framework of this analysis, we will quantify the savings of potential standardization, technology enhancements and improved processes and show how they impact your efficiency. Additionally, if applicable, we will identify any personnel related areas that are currently impacting your productivity and effectiveness including any staff or talent deficiencies, with recommendations to support any ongoing development and maintenance of your current or future systems and end users.
These results can then be formalized into a document that identifies any inefficiencies and can create an ROI associated with specific potential improvements to your company or agency such as implementing new standards and technology that will leverage your current software applications.
DELIVERABLES:
Upon completion of this activity, we will deliver a final report that captures our methodology, findings, analysis and conclusions in a form that will allow you to determine a sensible, cost-effective course of action to address any particular situation identified in the report results.